Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, powder baby formula is typically measured in proper ratio to the amount of water in the bottle and then immediately added to the water and mixed just minutes prior to consumption. This approach presents no difficulty at home, but it does impose an inconvenience to the parents or caregivers while traveling. In fact, use of liquid formulas is more prevalent at home. Infants require frequent feeding and liquid formula bottles, premixed powder formula or milk require refrigeration to prevent spoilage, and heating is required prior to consumption. While the refrigeration and heating can be avoided by blending a powder and water just prior to consumption, this poses an inconvenience and potentially messy situation while traveling.
A key consideration for a convenient travel baby formula bottle not needing refrigeration is keeping the powder dry and separate from the water, but still in one container. Numerous, sometimes elaborate, devices have been disclosed for storing a formula powder within a bottle until just prior to consumption, with provisions for rapidly combining and mixing the liquid and powder without opening the bottle. Some represent a whole new bottle design while others are made to fit into a standard bottle arrangement.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,445, Kaesemeyer teaches the design of holding the formula powder in a cartridge inside a baby bottle with the water stored in the bottle below.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,802, Caola teaches a reusable insert designed for standard baby bottles to keep the formula powder and water separate until a push rod forces a chamber seal into the water portion of the bottle. Activation in this case involves the unsanitary act of pushing on the nipple.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,714 to Guild, a long-stemmed disk is dislodged and falls into the liquid allowing the powder to mix with the water.
One common and significant disadvantage of these three examples and others is that a portion of the sealing mechanism is pushed into the lower water compartment at the time of mixing, and it must be retrieved and reassembled later.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,298, Holley et al teach a container and mixing apparatus for attaching to the top of a baby bottle with a nipple connected atop it. A hollow ball seal device is the key component, and it includes a cam follower, a pin, a sealing surface, and defines an opening. The construction and operation of the hollow ball seal appear to be somewhat complex. Including the Holley device, all of the aforementioned add the powder from above. Thus, it appears that there has been a need for a moderately-priced convenience device that avoids drawbacks of existing designs. Desirable features are being simple to use, but also easy to disassemble, clean, and reassemble.